Ukrainian delegation will ask for ATACMS in USA

The Ukrainian delegation to the USA under the leadership of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will ask Washington to supply Ukraine with ATACMS, Grey Eagle and Reaper UAVs. 

Source: Politico

Quote: "During the meeting with Biden and his national security team, the Ukrainian delegation is expected to make another round of pleas for long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, and Grey Eagle and Reaper drones, according to a person familiar with the discussions."

Details: It is noted that the US officials are not ready to budge when it comes to this topic. 

The White House also categorically refuses to send ATACMS.

The American officials believe that sending long-range missiles to Kyiv can encourage Putin to use potentially even more lethal weapons in Ukraine.

That US hesitation has concerned Ukrainian officials and forced senior military leaders inside the country to seek help from others, including countries outside the Western alliance.

The Ukrainians fear they will not be able to advance on the battlefield this winter and will lose the momentum they gained after liberating Kherson.

Biden is planning to announce that he will provide Ukraine with more other types of weapons on 21 December.

According to the source, the US administration will present a new, US$2 billion military aid package that will for the first time include a Patriot air defence battery and Joint Direct Attack Munition kits – which turn fighter jets’ unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions.

Also included in the package is US$850 million worth of artillery and other munitions from existing US stockpiles.

The media outlets note that the shipment of the Patriot is a decision that surprised even Ukrainian officials.

Thus, the Patriot system is a long-sought prize for Kyiv and the version headed to Ukraine is built to intercept ballistic missiles. That would be a major addition to Kyiv’s defences against continued Russian attacks on the capital’s critical infrastructure.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is going abroad for the first visit since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Zelenskyy has left Ukraine for the first time in 10 months and gone to Washington.

As part of this visit, Zelenskyy will meet US President Joe Biden and make a speech in front of the US Congress members.

The fact of the Ukrainian leader’s visit came as a shock to senior US officials and lawmakers alike.

While there were whispers of a big event unfolding in Washington, none knew the exact details of the Ukrainian president’s arrival or plans.

The US and Ukrainian officials had been planning the visit for several weeks.

On a call on 11 December, Biden invited Zelenskyy to Washington to talk through forthcoming battlefield operations and ways his administration could continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

In the weeks leading up to that call, US officials had been engaged in talks with their counterparts in Kyiv and in Europe about how much military support the US would continue to provide to Ukraine to aid its fight through the winter.

Kyiv has appealed directly to the Biden administration for more advanced weapons but the US is hesitating. 

That conversation is expected to dominate the in-person meeting between Zelenskyy, his team and the Biden administration.

Zelenskyy is also likely to make the case to Congress that his country is in need of more advanced weapons to fend off Russian bombardment.

While the Biden administration has vowed to continue supporting Kyiv in its efforts to combat Russian forces inside Ukraine, US officials have resisted supplying any resources that would allow Ukrainians to launch long-range missiles at Russian positions inside Russia.

The White House also believes that Zelenskyy’s visit will be a powerful message to the rest of the Alliance members.

Background: 

• During Zelenskyy’s visit, the US President Joe Biden will announce a new significant package of aid to Ukraine in the defence sector for approximately US$2 billion; it will include the Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems.
• A high-ranking official of the White House reported that Zelenskyy had decided himself that the security situation allowed a visit to the USA.
• According to The Hill, an American news outlet, the leadership of the US Congress is working on fast introduction of the bill which will condemn Russia as an aggressor state; however, it does not refer to the recognition of Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

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